1. Field
The present invention pertains to the transportation of fluid cargo; more particularly, the present invention pertains to a mooring and fluid transfer system to be used with ocean-going liquid cargo transport vessels.
2. Background
Many fluid cargo tankers, particularly those carrying a volatile cargo of liquids, gases, or a combination thereof, are offloaded in protected locations. Accordingly, LNG tankers are typically moored alongside a special quay. This special quay is located in a protected location where damage, in the event of an explosion, would be minimized.
From both an efficiency and safety standpoint, it would be desirable to offload fluid cargo tankers, particularly LNG tankers, offshore. However, the key disadvantage to offshore offloading is the fact that weather and wave conditions cause the LNG tanker vessels to be in a continuous state of motion. Hence, it is difficult for loading arms, even articulated loading arms, to cope with the continuous motion of a tanker moored offshore. Accordingly, a need remains in the art for a mooring and transfer system that can be used with fluid cargo tankers at an offshore location.